The present invention relates to a side mold for an automobile, which is employed for preventing damage of an automobile body and for decorating the automobile. Particularly, the present invention relates to a side mold being made of synthetic resin comprising a hard mold portion (A) forming a outside main portion and a soft mold portion (B) forming an inside portion to be connected with a side of an automobile body, and having a hard surface and sufficient resistance against heat-deformation or attack of outer force or solvent.
A side mold is effective not only as a decoration of the automobile body but also as a protector of the side of an automobile body, for instance, doors; or the front or rear portions of the both sides of the body, against deformation of the body or damage to the coatings when a side portion of the body receives a slight impact attack or a contact. It is recently required that the body of an automobile also be lighter in order to save fuel, because of the trend toward saving energy in the automobile industry.
A conventional side mold is made of a metal, a combination of a metal core and a mold of plasticised polyvinyl chloride covering the metal core, or a mold of only propylene polymers, or the like. Such side mold is horizontally aligned and attached as a line onto the side panel of the automobile body by means of screws or clips. The side mold has increased in size due to necessity of improving the decorational effect and increasing protection for the body against impact or the like. However, it is further required that the weight of the body be reduced.
Under the above condition, a material for a side mold is required to provide lightness, sufficient strength against impact even at low temperature, e.g. -30.degree. to -10.degree. C., surface hardness which is not easily damaged, and wide selectivity in design as to configuration, surface decoration, or the like.
However, the conventional material described above does not possess all of those complicated and contradictory properties.
The object of the present invention is to provide a side mold having all of the above properties.